Geoffrey McQuilkin
In the original stasis of the play, the Duke is the leader of Vienna. Vienna is at war with Hungary. Vienna is a hedonistic city which is full of brothels, unlawful sexual activity, and the pestering venereal diseases that accompany such behavior. Citizens frivolously engage in various debaucheries and have a disregard for the law which is rarely enforced. Claudio's sister, Isabella, is in the process of joining a nunnery in order to separate herself from the sinfully saturated city. Claudio has been having premarital, consensual sex with Juliet. He intends to marry her but he is awaiting her parents' approval. Juliet is pregnant with Claudio's child.
The first major action which sets the plot of the story in motion is when the Duke leaves Lord Angelo in charge of ruling Vienna while he attempts to negotiate with the King of Hungary (although he actually remains in Vienna, disguised as a friar, in order to observe the city). This intrusion alters the stasis of the play because Lord Angelo seeks to define his rule by strictly enforcing the laws that punish unlawful sexual activities. When authorities notice Juliet's pregnancy, they arrest Claudio and take him to prison. The intrusion which leaves Lord Angelo on the throne also sets up a major conflict in the play between the sinful pleasure-seekers and the virtuous saints of Vienna.